Each year, Gail Cope accepts grant applications for up to $500/teacher or entire German Program (if more than 1 German teacher at school) to be used for materials, etc. for the program. For example, consideration might be given to materials that would help you improve contest results, skits, oompah music, books of poetry, dance costumes, puppets, needlepoint kits, kit models, etc.

Applications may be submitted immediately following the State Contest. Your application should state your name, school name and contact information, amount requested and for what purpose the money would be used. E-mail your application to Gail (gailcope1@gmail.com) and she will approve them and request checks to be sent out! The deadline for application is April 30th. Gail will notify you of your status and will send checks before the end of school.

This teacher grant is open to any teachers/schools who regularly participate in contest, regardless of whether or not they were able to come this year to State. An e-mail will go out to all teachers who participated in State this year, so please feel free to forward to any who were unable to attend this year.

2017 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

1. Rustin Buck, Clements HS: $270 for dance instruction by Kleine Kunst folk dance group for the Clements High School dance group

2. Beth Burau, Bishop Lynch High School: $310.88 for

Item Name

Order Source

Cost

Improvisationen! 101 Skits with a Point of View auf Deutsch Book

Teacher’s Discovery

29.95

50 German Oral Communication Activities Print Book

Teacher’s Discovery

48.95

50 German Fireballs: Mind-Blowing Activities Print Book

Teacher’s Discovery

42.95

BOOK – When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do: The Clued-In Guide to German Life, Language, and Culture

2) From sheetmusicplus.com: Intermediate Music for Four, Volume 2, Parts 1, 2, 3 (the parts are for different instrument parts within an ensemble such as flute, oboe, violin, French horn, English horn, clarinet, trumpet, and viola) Cost of each: $18.50 Total Cost: $55.50

2) Intermediate Music for Four, Volume 2, Score Cost: $24.00

2016 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

1. Trina C. Powers, Woodlands High School 2. Marion Torres, Clark High School of San Antonio 3. Heidi Kirby of Cinco Ranch High School in Katy
4. Jennifer Melgar of Westwood High School in Austin

2015 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

Recipient Listings coming soon!

2014 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

Gail Cope Teacher Grants

The following teachers were awarded grants for use for contest materials. Criteria for the award is based on how many students will be affected by the award, how well researched the materials were for the stated needs, and how affective the amount requested for the purpose would be. Also under consideration would be whether the teacher has received a prior award.

The full request has been included so teachers in future years can see how others have applied!

My students love competing at Houstonfest and the Texas German State Contest over the past couple of years. While we have tried many different events during this time, the students have expressed a desire to become more competitive next year in the following two areas: Pass Auf! and Polka Band. I am, therefore, requesting funding for the following materials

This is my first year teaching German here at Allen High School and I can only tell you how much my students have enjoyed competing at Winterfest at RL Turner and then at the State Competition in Austin. Being able to watch other students perform before the awards ceremony really lit a spark and they want to be able to come back better and stronger next year. This year the students participated mainly in academic events. Since the return from the State Competition I have been approached by students with regards to a Polka Band and they are in the process of putting together a folk dance group as well as having a “Pass Auf” Team next year. Therefore, the teacher grant would be simply wonderful to help us prepare and improve for next year’s competition. The items listed below would make a huge difference for the students to prepare and get ready for next year. Thanking you in advance for your kind consideration. The regional as well as State competition are a great way to get students engaged and further the learning of German.

Items we would like to purchase with the grant money:

Pizzicato Polka by Johann Strauss Jr. (1825-1899). Arranged by Olivier Huyard. For Concert Band. Grade 3. Full score and set of parts. Duration 2:30. Published by Baton Music (BF.BM209-SET). $127.50

Here is an entertaining method to learn or observe authentic folk dances as demonstrated by high school performers in native costumes. Included with each 35 minute DVD is a manual with step-by-step instructions, and compact disk with music and verbal cues. Volume 1: Bavarian “Siebenschritt”, Swiss “Trommt en Babeli”, German “Das Fenster”. Volume 2: Bavarian “D’Hammerschmiedsgselln”, Swiss “Brandiswalzer”, Austrian”Zillertaler Laendler. $ 89.95

Our current total for the above items is $380.70. We would greatly appreciate it if you would consider helping us with the grant. It will make all the difference for us and our participation next year. Thank you so much!

Thank you again for your generous grant last year. The boys were so excited about the addition of new, authentic pieces to their costumes. My dancers and band kids did well at regional and state this year. They are so enthusiastic about the performance events and were so proud of their authentic appearance.

For the coming year, I would like to request funds to add materials for: Vocal Ensemble, Classical Instrumental Ensemble, and Plays

The Kings Singers Book of Madrigals, Book 1 – JWPepper no. 1765544 $9.95

Psallite – 4 part mixed JWPepper no. 3300402 $2.25

Psallite – 3 part mixed JWPepper no 3195245 $2.25

Psallite – 3 part mens JWPepper no. 3300403 $2.25

Psallite – 3 part women’s JWPepper no 3195292 $2.25

Middle Romantic German Lieder JWPepper no 5972095 $19.95

31 Bach Chorales for Sightsingen JWPepper no 3296976 $4.95

Alleluia for 3 part women JWPepper no 3302918 $2.25

Alleluia for 3 part mixed JWPepper no. 3302918 $2.25

Alleluia for 4 part mixed JWPepper no 3302917 $2.25

$163.05

Band Books

Auf zum Zeltfest by Broeniman. (DH.DP2601-SET) $72.00

$72.0Theater Books

Friedrich Durrenmatts Theaterstucke $38.50

Short German Plays: Second Series $15.84

Short German Plays For Reading and Acting $23.75

$78.09

CD’s

2 CD’s of Folk dance music $30.00

$30.00 .

TOTAL $343.14

These items would be added to our library of competition materials. These will be used by our folk dance group, our polka band, hopefully a classical ensemble and vocal ensemble, and the skits. We have approximately 30-45 students in these events each year who would use these materials.

In addition to the competitions, we also perform in the community at the Episcopalian church’s Noctoberfest held in November and have an invitation to perform at the Knights of Columbus Oktoberfest in October for next fall. Today, we received an invitation to perform for a seniors’ luncheon at one of the local churches for May 13. These activities showcase our students to people from area who were previously unaware that Greenville High School has a German program and/or German students who are interested in spreading the German culture. These “showcase” performances help to promote the German program at our school and to encourage more and more students to study German.

my name is Inga Gibbons and I’m the German teacher at Brazoswood High School. I would like to apply for a $500 teacher grant to be spend on folk dance lessons and outfits. This was our first time competing in folk dance and out second year to compete ever. Even though we have 6 outfits already, we would like to purchase more, so we could have a larger group next year and also continue to pay for lessons to get better at folk dance.

I am the German teacher at Clark High School. This year we participated in Sprachfest and the Texas State German Contest for the second time. My enthusiastic participants are continuing their German studies with me and are already creating a buzz about the 2015 competition. My plight, of course, is money to provide certain things to enhance their participation. I am looking into financial help due to a limited opportunity for fundraisers and economically disadvantaged students.

I would like to purchase the following item for the contest:

2 Dirnl with socks and a blouse for a small dance group and skit

2 pair of Lederhosen, socks, shirts and hats for a small dance group and skit

6 hats for video production

Puppets and or material to create puppets

Various craft items for models and needlepoint

I respectfully request the amount of $500.00.

Thank you,

Frau Marion Torres

2013 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

Gail Cope Teacher Grants The following teachers were awarded grants for use for contest materials. Criteria for the award is based on how many students will be affected by the award, how well researched the materials were for the stated needs, and how affective the amount requested for the purpose would be. Also under consideration would be whether the teacher has received a prior award.

The full request has been included so teachers in future years can see how others have applied!

Dear Gail,

I am still at Greenville High School. I apologize for not sending in an itemized wish list. I wasn’t sure exactly what you needed. I have many authentic costume pieces that I have gotten over the years via eBay and other venues. However, I have used home dyed athletic socks for my boys and I never seem to have enough ties or tie rings. I would like to be able to finish my guys out in style.

I am requesting $473.00 for our program. I would like to be able to purchase the following for my German students to use for competition:

These items would be added to the costumes that we already have. The costumes are used by our folk dance group, our polka band, and the skits. We have approximately 30 students in these events each year who use these costumes. We have had folk dance teams and bands for the last 30 years, which would account for between 540-930 students involved in the groups. We also perform in the community for some of the church groups and fall festival activities. These activities involve many more people. These “show case” performances help to promote the German program at our school and to encourage more and more students to study German.

The costume items would continue to be used for future groups at Greenville High School. Any or all of the items would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your consideration. Please see the items I would like pictured below.

Dear Mrs. Cope: Clear Lake High School has had a German program since its founding in the early 70’s. For many years, the program thrived, but recently fewer students have been taking German here. I have been at Clear Lake High School for 5 years, now, and am seeking in each year to increase enrollment. This year we have seen good growth, despite many obstacles, and I attribute the better numbers, in part, to our participation the last two years in both the Houstonfest and the Texas State German Contest. At the fall camp for incoming freshmen and at the spring fair for 8th graders, I have promoted German by displaying posters and pictures of our success and the fun times at these competitions. So, I know this is the way to continue increasing the percentage of those taking German here. My students have mostly been competing in the declamatory competitions, because I do not have some of the necessary materials for other types of competitions. This year, however, some of my kids took vocabulary and spelling tests. Others competed in vocal solo. Every year several of my students want to start up a polka band, but it never happens, because they don’t have scores ready for them to practice with. I was judge of Pass auf! at the TSGC in Austin this year, and I was really amazed at the effort the kids put in to know so many facts. It seemed to be a pretty fun competition. I would like my students to be involved in Pass auf! next year. Therefore, I am petitioning you to consider Clear Lake High School for a grant of money to purchase materials we need for the next year’s and future years’ competitions. Below, see an itemized list of materials I would like to purchase for our use in preparation for the competitions. I have listed the materials in order of priority, if only a portion may be supported. Competition Description and itemized price Price total For Vocabulary and Spelling Tests Preparation Langenscheidt Publisher, (5) Basic German Vocabulary — $28.50/each and (5) Übungsbuch $23.50/each $260.00 Wireless Pass auf! answering system for the classroom Wireless Eggspert Set with additional 6 answer pods –Teacher’s Discovery $149.58 For Polka Band music “Auf zum Zeltfest” Daehn Publications $72.00 + $6.00 per extra score (5) $102.00

Total Amount Requested $511.58

Thanks for considering Clear Lake High School. I am so excited for my kids about next year’s competitions!

************************************************************************************************************** Sandra Dieckman, German Teacher at Denton High School

$150 total

Since I am usually working behind the scenes at Winterfest and TSGC, either running the testing or entering data, I have not been able to judge other events and see what they are about. This also means that I have not been able to accumulate materials for other events. I would love to have more students participate in the group events at Winterfest and State German Contest, but lack materials for this. Therefore, if I were to receive a grant, I would purchase materials for the following events.

Duets, Skits, Puppet Plays and Plays:

$75

My personal experience is limited here, but I imagine I would need to purchase a copy of books such as the following:

· Nathan der Weise von Lessing

· Faust oder Götz von Berlichingen von Goethe

· Maria Stuart oder Die Räuber von Schiller

· Der zerbrochene Krug von Kleist

· Various Folk Stories and Fairy Tales

I can get many of the texts to print out for the students online for free through Gutenberg; however, printing the entire play in order to read through to find the scenes they could present would not be practical. We would need a copy of the full text at the school in the first place.

I will also shop for books of skits and dialogs while I am in Germany this summer traveling with my GAPP group. I will also gladly share the texts with other teachers.

Vocal Ensemble, Classical Instrumental Ensemble and Polka Band:

$75

My problem is that I have numerous books with various folk songs, but nothing with multiple parts.

· I have had several students compete in the solo events over the years, but have not had musical material for groups. I have several students who would like to participate in the Oompah band competition; however, the school band does not have any music for this.

· I would also love to have a choir. I was able to get over a dozen students to learn two songs to sing at our annual recruitment open houses; however, we sang pop and children’s songs from youtube.

· In addition, I always have amazing students who participate in the piano and instrumental solo competitions—so much so that I have to have a competition at the campus level to decide who gets to compete at Winterfest.

I can check with my music department to find out about pricing and suggestions for this.

Folk Dancing:

I have no idea what this might cost, but have contacted other teachers in the area to plan a workshop in order to teach the kids a few dances to get this started.

My students are always excited to participate in the folk dancing at the annual Deutscher Samstag. I have even had groups over the past few years find dances online and teach themselves, but I have lacked the resources to actually start up a competitive group on our campus. Three years ago, I arranged to have some members of a Schuhplattler group from Ft. Worth come to our school to teach two dances. We paid an honorarium of $100 for their travel expenses and time. I imagine there must be a far more economical way to start up a dance group, but have not found it yet.

I know that we will have to do lots of fundraising for costumes, but plan on starting out with grey or brown slacks with white shirts for the guys, which we will convert into lederhosen by using the remaining material to make the upper (suspender) piece. The girls will wear white blouses and black skirts to start out. I will have to research some inexpensive neck scarves to get us started. Eventually we would convert to authentic Tracht.

My students absolutely love competing at the Texas State German Contest. We began competing 4 years ago and are improving each year. There is one area in which we need additional material in order to better prepare, and that is for Pass Auf. We respectfully request the following items to help us better prepare as they learn more about the wonderful German-speaking countries:

Brandeis high school opened only three years ago. In my first year as a teacher, only four students were willing to participate in the regional German competition, the “Sprachfest”, even though I paid for their registration fees. This year, the school’s third year, 42 Brandeis students participated and qualified for the state competition in Austin. Both the students and I were thrilled!

For the first time we qualified in “Pass auf “, a competition that I have had only limited success in preparing the students – we placed last in the state competition! When my students and I watched the final round of “Pass auf “in Austin, we realized how exciting and competitive the game is when using buzzers – which we do not have. My students also observed that they were slower with the buzzers simply because they could not prepare adequately.

In this grant application, I would like to ask for monies to buy a buzzer system. I have done research on systems available and I would like to purchase the 1-2-3 Buzzer system which lets you identify not only the first place, but also the second place and the third place. I know that having such a buzzer system and using it throughout the school year will motivate all students and better prepare them for any competition. System Cost: $320 (for 4 players) or $360 (for 6 players)

Dear Ms. Cope, please know that the Brandeis students and I appreciate all you do to support the teaching and learning of German in Texas’ high schools. We would be thrilled and very grateful if we would receive this grant either for 4 or 6 players.

The Clements folk dance team has been developing by leaps and bounds the last few years. We are paying a coach since I don’t know the dances, and she has really helped us. We’ve been doing more difficult dances (with Plattlers and lifts), and we got 3rd place this year at State, our best result ever. We have already performed at our district’s international festival, at a feeder elementary school, and at lunch at our high school, and we’ll perform at the Tomball German Heritage Festival on March 26 and our school’s international festival in April. The team is really getting us a lot of positive recognition in the community.

Up till this year, we had no decent costumes to speak of — some homemade German-ish dresses and black shorts/suspenders for the boys. We decided to go all out this year and buy Lederhosen (with suspenders and socks) and Dirndls (with blouses). We fund-raised and made just over $3600, but the outfits we wanted were $4400 from Ernst Licht in Pennsylvania. We went ahead and bought them because we wanted to have them for Houstonfest and State. I pretty much drained the German Club account to make up the difference, and now we’re in the process of replenishing the Club account. Meanwhile, the kids look GREAT in the new costumes.

I would love to be able to get proper shirts for the boys. Right now, they’re wearing their own white dress-shirts, which are OK, but they’re not all uniform, and since we already have so much invested in trying to look authentic, it seems that we should go that last mile and get the shirts, too. Nine shirts from Ernst Licht would run $450. Would you be interested in funding that, or part of that, with the money you received from your former students? Any amount would be appreciated.

Thanks for your consideration! Rustin

2012 Gail Cope Teacher Grant Recipients

Gail Cope Teacher Grants The following teachers were awarded grants for use for contest materials. Criteria for the award is based on how many students will be affected by the award, how well researched the materials were for the stated needs, and how affective the amount requested for the purpose would be. Also under consideration would be whether the teacher has received a prior award.

The full request has been included so teachers in future years can see how others have applied!

1. Trina Powers $130

My students absolutely love competing at the Texas State German Contest. We began competing 4 years ago and are improving each year. There is one area in which we need additional material in order to better prepare, and that is for Pass Auf. We respectfully request the following items to help us better prepare as they learn more about the wonderful German-speaking countries:

I would like to apply for a TSGC teacher grant in the amount of $500. This was Kingwood High School’s first attempt at folkdancing in many, many years. Not only did our dancing need work this year, but our dancing costumes were just horrendous. I ordered them from a Halloween costume place online. Although the kids did not do so well with the dancing, they are really motivated for next year. They want to hire a professional coach and want to purchase some real folkdancing costumes. Rustin said that Clements spent about 4 grand on their costumes, so $500 would really help us on our way to getting some costumes the kids can be proud of.

I have a large number of band students, and they always want to have a polka band. We have patched together music and written parts for years. We are strong performers academically and have a strong folk dance team. Our classical ensemble can always find something to play. I would like to raise our polka band to our standard for the rest of our contests. We also dance at festivals in our area, and I think that we could add our polka band to that, if they had better music to work from.

Clear Lake High School has had a German program since its founding in the early 70’s. For many years, the program thrived, but recently fewer students have been taking German here. I have been at Clear Lake High School for 5 years, now, and am seeking in each year to increase enrollment. This year we have seen good growth, despite many obstacles, and I attribute the better numbers, in part, to our participation the last two years in both the Houstonfest and the Texas State German Contest. At the fall camp for incoming freshmen and at the spring fair for 8th graders, I have promoted German by displaying posters and pictures of our success and the fun times at these competitions. So, I know this is the way to continue increasing the percentage of those taking German here. My students have mostly been competing in the declamatory competitions, because I do not have some of the necessary materials for other types of competitions. This year, however, some of my kids took vocabulary and spelling tests. Others competed in vocal solo. Every year several of my students want to start up a polka band, but it never happens, because they don’t have scores ready for them to practice with. I was judge of Pass auf! at the TSGC in Austin this year, and I was really amazed at the effort the kids put in to know so many facts. It seemed to be a pretty fun competition. I would like my students to be involved in Pass auf! next year. Therefore, I am petitioning you to consider Clear Lake High School for a grant of money to purchase materials we need for the next year’s and future years’ competitions. Below, see an itemized list of materials I would like to purchase for our use in preparation for the competitions. I have listed the materials in order of priority, if only a portion may be supported. Competition Description and itemized price Price total For Vocabulary and Spelling Langenscheidt Publisher, $260.00 Tests Preparation (5) Basic German Vocabulary — $28.50/each and (5) Übungsbuch $23.50/eachWireless Pass auf! answering
Wireless Eggspert Set with
$149.58 system for the classroom additional 6 answer pods – Teacher’s Discovery For Polka Band music “Auf zum Zeltfest” Daehn $102.00 Publications $72.00 + $6.00 per extra score (5)

Total Amount Requested

$511.58

Thanks for considering Clear Lake High School. I am so excited for my kids about next year’s competitions!